KENT-Class Cruiser ordered from HM Dockyard, Devonport on 2nd June 1924 and laid down on 9th October that year. The ship was launched on 11th March 1926 and was the 6th RN ship to bear this name, introduced in 1692 for a 3rd Rate. The last ship to bear the name was a Cruiser built in 1902 and sold in 1920. Build was completed on 10th May 1928 at a cost of £1,252,110. She was then deployed on the China Station with the 5th Cruiser Squadron until return to UK for a major refit in 1936. On completion she served in Home waters in the 2nd Cruiser Squadron and used for training of boy seamen. In March 1939 this shiprecommissioned for further service on the China Station where she was deployed in September 1939. She had a well established relationship with the county whose name she carried and this has continued until the present with the 7th ship.

10th - Sailed with DORSETSHIRE to join EAGLE and destroyers VENDETTA (RAN) and WATERHEN (RAN) in search for German pocket battleship GRAF SPEE in area south of Ceylon.

18th - Returned to Colombo.

25th - Took passage from Colombo to resume patrol.

December

8th - At Diego Suarez and attached to South Atlantic Station.

12th - At Durban.

14th - Sailed for patrol in Indian Ocean from Durban.

22nd - Took passage from Durban to Simonstown for interception patrol duties in South Atlantic.

26th - At Simonstown. (Note: For details of interception patrol duties see THE BLOCKADERS by P Kemp, ARMED MERCHANT CRUISERS by K Poolman and AXIS BLOCKADE RUNNERS by M Bryce.)

1 9 4 0

January

2nd - Sailed for patrol.

11th - Returned to Capetown.

25th - Sailed for patrol.

30th - Returned to Capetown. (Note: cruiser HOBART (RAN) and EAGLE were also deployed in South Atlantic for interception and trade defence.)

February

Transferred to Freetown. Patrol duty in continuation.

March

Passage to Freetown from patrol

4th - Arrived at Freetown.

April

Interception patrol and trade defence in continuation based at Freetown.

May

Passage to Simonstown on release from Patrol.

June

Patrol duties in continuation based at Simonstown.

24th - Took passage from Simonstown to UK for repair.

July

Under repair in Liverpool commercial shipyard.

August

Post repair trials

5th - Joined military convoy WS2 on departure from Liverpool as Ocean Escort during Atlantic passage.

25th - Arrived at Capetown.

31st - Deployed as Ocean Escort for WS2 during passage to Durban.

September

3rd - Detached from WS2 after relief by Armed Merchant cruiser KANIMBLA. Took passage to Freetown for support of landings by Free French troops at Dakar (Operation MENACE).

13th - Joined cruiser CUMBERLAND, sloops MILFORD and BRIDGEWATER in escort of military convoy on passage to Freetown from Gibraltar.

15th - Arrived at Freetown.

18th - Deployed with cruiser DELHI in search for Vichy French warship on passage from Dakar to Gabon, French Guinea.

19th - Intercepted cruiser PRIMAGUET and tanker TARN in Gulf of Guinea and persuaded them to return to Casablanca rather than being forced into a naval engagement. (Note: Tanker was intended to replenish Vichy French cruisers recently arrived in Dakar. See CUMBERLAND. PRIMAGUET remained in Vichy French control until being sunk by US ships in November 1942). Escorted Vichy French ships during passage to Casablanca.

October

West African deployment in continuation. Nominated for return to UK for escort of military convoy and took passage to UK.

November

2nd - Joined military convoy WS4 in Clyde as Ocean Escort during passage to Aden.

December

18th - Detached from WS4 on arrival at Aden. Resumed trade defence and patrol duties and took passage to Capetown.

1 9 4 1

January

Deployed for interception patrol and convoy defence based at Simonstown.

February

2nd - Taken in hand for refit and docking at Simonstown. AA Armament improved by addition of 20mm weapons.

22nd - Refit work completed

28th - Sailed to join military convoy WS6 as Ocean Escort during passage to Middle East from Freetown.

15th - Detached from WS6 on arrival at Aden. Resumed trade defence and convoy escort duties in Indian Ocean

May

At Mombasa

7th - During passage from Mombasa to Seychelles intercepted Distress Signal from tanker BRITISH PREMIER being attacked by German commerce raider PINGUIN in position 5o miles north.

8th - Ships aircraft reported sighting of mercantile identified as being Norwegian TAMERLANE. Intercepted ship and ordered her to stop enforced by two rounds. Vessel then opened fire which temporarily damaged steering gear. In subsequent exchange of fire PINGUIN sank after an explosion. Rescued 82 survivors of whom 22 were prisoners from captured ships. (For full details of problems related to identification of merchant ships see WAR AT SEA by SW Roskill and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO)). Passage to Durban

June

Under repair at Durban.

10th - Resumed trade defence duties on completion of repair.

July

11th - Joined specially formed military convoy WS9A2 at Durban as Ocean Escort during passage to Aden. Embarked passengers.

19th - Detached from WS9A2 on arrival at Aden and landed passengers.

20th - Trade defence and patrol in Indian Ocean resumed.

August to November

Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.

December

28th - Joined military convoy WS12ZA as Ocean Escort during passage to Bombay.

1 9 4 2

January

6th - Detached on arrival of WS12ZA at Bombay. Retained in Bombay for escort of convoys to and from Singapore.

February

Convoy defence and covering duties in Bay of Bengal. (Note: Evacuation convoys were on passage from Singapore and ports in Dutch East Indies. See WAR WITH JAPAN.)

March

1st - Sailed from Colombo with battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN, destroyers EXPRESS, VAMPIRE (RAN), NIZAM, Armed Merchant cruiser MANOORA (RAN) and corvette HOLLYHOCK as escort for military convoy SU1 during passage to Fremantle. (Note: This convoy of 12 troopships was taking 11,000 ANZAC troops back to Australia from Middle East service after the Japanese threat to Australia and New Zealand).

14th - Detached from SU1 on arrival at Freetown and took passage to Ceylon to rejoin newly formed Eastern Fleet.

31st - Joined battleship WARSPITE, aircraft carriers FORMIDABLE and INDOMITABLE, cruisers ENTERPRISE, EMERALD and DORSETSHIRE screened by six destroyers as Force A in position south of Ceylon.

April

1st - Deployed with Force A in unsuccessful search for Japanese naval force reported on passage toward Ceylon.

3rd - Detached from Force A with DORSETSHIRE for escort of military convoy SU4 during passage in Indian Ocean.

4th - Recalled to join Force A again with DORSETSHIRE after Japanese warships had been sighted. (See WAR WITH JAPAN and THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J.Winton).

5th - Sighted during return passage to Force A by aircraft from Japanese cruiser TONE. Came under heavy and sustained attacks by dive bombers from the aircraft carriers AKAGI, SORYU and HIRYU. Deficient AA armament overwhelmed and careful manoeuvring by enemy aircraft gave ship little defence and she was quickly disabled. Sank within 15 minutes with heavy casualties including 190 killed or missing. (Casualty List - note on casualties) (Note: Some 6 minutes later, DORSETSHIRE was sunk by similar attacks).

6th - 1,122 survivors from the two cruisers were rescued by ENTERPRISE and destroyers PALADIN and PANTHER.

P o s t W a r N o t e

This name was carried forward when the Type 22 Frigate HMS CORNWALL was launched by Yarrow shipbuilders in 1986 and became the 7th ship to bear this distinguished name.

In researching my
father's career, which included service on HMS Cornwall from 1 January 1938 to 6 May 1938, I am grateful for the following information provided by Mr Ransome in response to a request published in "Navy News" in January 1994 (Gordon Smith):